ABSTRACT
The United States, along with the Soviet Union, was responsible for the division of Korea along the 38th parallel in 1945, thus creating a situation which led to war in 1950. The Korean peninsula is one of the most heavily armed regions of the world, with large and hostile forces facing each other across the demilitarization zone. The “little dragons” of East Asia—South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore—are all developing quite rapidly and all have become major trading nations. The trend throughout East Asia is toward democracy and the US must be a part of the movement if it is to retain long-term influence in the region. The US should also assist the Philippine government in its struggle against a growing communist insurgency. The Republic of the Philippines has been a key ally of the United States ever since it received independence on the Fourth of July, 1946.
